New Methods for Spending Less for on West Des Moines Iowa Car Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your personal savings and force you to prioritize other expenses. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.

Popular companies such as Allstate, Progressive and GEICO promote their brand names with ads and consumers find it hard to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you have car insurance now, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Buying car insurance in West Des Moines is not that difficult. But Iowa drivers do need to learn how the larger insurance companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

These discounts can slash car insurance rates

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but a few need to be inquired about prior to receiving the credit.

Resident Student – Kids in college who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few car insurance companies.
Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.
Discount for Swiching Early – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
Save over 55 – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in West Des Moines, click this link.

Educated Consumers Know How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine prices.

Traffic violations increase rates – Whether or not you get tickets impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Only having one citation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
Poor credit can mean higher rates – Your credit history is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit history is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
Being married is a good thing – Having a spouse actually saves money on your car insurance policy. Having a significant other translates into being more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Careers like doctors, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates due to high stress and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as scientists, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
Younger drivers pay higher rates – Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Youthful drivers have a tendency to be less responsible in a vehicle and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Some insurers provide better rates to customers who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Males pay more for insurance – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.

Neighborhood agents for car insurance

Some consumers would rather buy from a local agent and that is OK! One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find better rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local businesses is important particularly in West Des Moines.

Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is submitted to companies in West Des Moines who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Different types of West Des Moines insurance agents

When looking for a reliable agent, there are two types of agencies that you can select. West Des Moines agents are classified as either independent or captive.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to contact at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Shown below is a list of independent agencies in West Des Moines that may be able to provide comparison quotes.

Combined Insurance Co – 4601 Westown Pkwy # 132 – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 327-8967
Dennis George Insurance Svc – 1200 35th St – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 223-1761
Carl Konz Agency – 6800 Lake Dr # 295 – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 222-0776
James Bellman Agency – 1501 42nd St # 230 – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 224-6404
C Mac Chambers Agency – 3737 Woodland Ave # 640 – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 225-1444

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents can only place business with one company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

The following are West Des Moines captive agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.

American Family Insurance – 422 46th St – West Des Moines, IA 50265 – (515) 267-1004
Allstate Insurance – 3636 Westown Pkwy # 204 – West Des Moines, IA 50266 – (515) 225-6401
Shelter Insurance – 1332 Grand Ave – West Des Moines, IA 50265 – (515) 334-0800
State Farm Insurance – 4800 Mills Civic Pkwy # 102 – West Des Moines, IA 50265 – (515) 224-9498

For a complete listing of captive agencies in West Des Moines, simply jump to this page.

Choosing an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Here are some questions to ask:

How long has their agency been in business in West Des Moines?
Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
Which company do they place the most coverage with?
Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Iowa?

Once you have received positive responses to these questions and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.

Save $470 a year? Really?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you change your coverage to them. How does each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has a short commute. Any driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who fall outside this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information is located on the website for the Iowa Insurance Division located here. Iowa drivers can discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, download brochures, and find a variety of consumer forms.

And the best car insurance company is…

Affordable car insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents in West Des Moines, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

We just presented many ideas to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small local company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.